What Factors Influence Subjective Well-Being for Older
Adults in Germany?
Social Relationships
The Value of Children and Intergenerational Relations Study
(VOC) (Albert, Labs, & Trommsdorff, 2010) examined the relationship
between satisfaction with respect to family, friendships, and general life satisfaction of 98 German
women ages 58 to 83 . The results confirmed that social relationships play a prominent role for wellbeing among older adults. Satisfaction with family was the most important factor in predicting general
life satisfaction for the participants with a partner (n = 54). For participants without a partner (n = 44)
friendships were rated highest in importance.
Health
Old age has often been regarded as being related to a decline in subjective well-being due to reduced
health. However, studies show that people usually adapt to a certain degree to a reduced health status,
and after an initial decline, often return to their previous level of life satisfaction (Albert et al., 2010).
A three level growth curve was applied to 24 year longitudinal data obtained from 3,427 participants in
the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) (Gerstorf, Ram, Goebel, Schupp, Lindenberg, &
Wagner, 2010). The data showed that older adults who died after 85 years of age showed a much
steeper decline in well-being with approaching death than do persons dying between 70 and 84 years
old, a contributing factor being declining health.
Retirement
In the German SOEP Study (Pinquart & Schindler, 2007), 1,456 older adults that retired between 1985
and 2003 were asked multiple questions regarding income, physical health, feelings of well-being
before, during , and after retirement. The majority of older adults showed a temporary increase in life
satisfaction after retirement. It was concluded that different trajectories of life satisfaction depended on
external circumstances such as transition from unemployment or from employment, individual
resources, marriage and physical health. Those found at risk for a decline in life satisfaction during the
transition into retirement included elderly with poor physical health, low socioeconomic status and lack
of a spouse.
Other Influential Factors: Age, Education, and Cognition
Data from the German SOEP (Gerstorf et al., 2010) showed that more educated persons reported
higher well-being two years prior to death and less steep decline with approaching death. This may
show that persons with poor education may have increased health burdens and fewer resources in
older age.
It was also determined that participants who were living and dying in countries with a higher GDP and
lower rates of unemployment reported higher levels of well-being. The study found that a sizable
amount of disparities in the progression of well-being at the very end of life is not due to differences
between persons but differences between areas where people live. It seems that the most vulnerable
segments of society suffer from the lack of community resources.
Longitudinal data from older adults ages 70 to 103 who participated in the Berlin Age Study (Gerstorf,
Lovden, Rocke, Smith, & Lindberger, 2007) was used to explore the interaction between age related
changes, cognition, and well-being. Participants were tested on perceptual speed and the Philadelphia
Geriatric Center Morale Scale was used to rate each individuals sense of well-being. The results
showed that both perceptual speed and well-being declined over time and between-person variability
in these longitudinal changes were linked.
Abstract
Although aging is associated with multiple losses, subjective well-being of older
compared to younger adults is not necessarily reduced. Here, we explore the
question whether subjective well-being of the elderly varies across cultures and
how different factors contribute to well-being. Culturally based values such as
individualism or collectivism affect the impact of different factors on subjective
well-being. In individualistic societies, such as the United States and Germany,
there is a greater emphasis on separateness, autonomy, internal attributes, and
uniqueness of the individual. In collectivist societies, like China, people evaluate
their life satisfaction in relation to society, friends, and family. There is emphasis
on connectedness, social context, and relationship harmony.
United States
Results of the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (Gerstorf et al., 2010) showed
that well-being appears to be stable or a possible small decline during adulthood
and into old age. It also was consistent with the theory of terminal decline which
shows an alarmingly steep proximate to death deterioration in well-being 3-5
years before death.
A sample including 47 male participants from Harvard University’s 68-year
longitudinal Health Service study (Waldinger & Schulz, 2010) and their wives
or significant others examined day to day links between perceived health and
happiness and between time spent with others and happiness over an 8-day
period. For some older adults, personal losses and physical declines associated
with aging are linked with diminished happiness. However, as a group, older
adults in the United States report higher levels of subjective wellbeing and lower
levels of depression than younger adults.
A number of studies have documented the health benefits of being married, buts
its becoming increasing clear that relationship satisfaction is a key determinant
of the health benefits of marriage to Americans (Waldinger &Schulz, 2010).
One survey conducted was a random-digit dialing sample of noninstitutionalized English-speaking adults aged 65–74 years, living in the 48
contiguous states, whose household included at least one telephone.
Westerhof and Barett (2005) found that older persons who were subliminally
primed with negative stereotypes of old age performed worse on memory tasks,
handwriting, and walking and showed higher cardiovascular stress than older
persons who were primed with positive stereotypes of old age. Studies also
indicate that persons who feel younger than they actually are report higher
levels of subjective well-being.
Living arrangements differ in the United States compared to China. In China,
cohabitation between family members and elderly was advantageous to elderly
due to tradition. As cohabitation is not expected in the U.S., it may be
disadvantageous to elderly, because privacy and independence are more highly
valued. For elderly in the United States living with spouses seems to be the
most beneficial living situation.
References
Albert, I., Labs, K., & Trommsdorff, G. (2010). Are older German women satisfied with their Lives? On the role of life domains, partnership status, and self-construal. Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry
Psychology, 23, 39-49.
Chen, C. (2001). Aging and life satisfaction. Social Indicators Research , 54, 57-79.
Chen, C. (2003). Revisiting the disengagement theory with differentials in the determinants of life satisfaction. Social Indicators Research, 64, 209-224.
Chen, F. & Short, S. E. (2008). Household context and subjective well-being among the oldest old in China. Journal of Family Issues, 29, 1379-1400.
Gerstorf, D., Lovden, M., Rocke, C., Smith, J., & Lindenberger, U.(2007). Well-being affects changes in perceptual speech in advanced old age: Longitudinal evidence for a dynamic link. Developmental Psychology , 43, 705-718.
What Factors Influence Subjective Well-Being for
Older Adults in China?
Social Relationships
Social relationships have proven to be a key part of Chinese culture. It
is tradition for children to take in their parents and care for them as they
age. These expectations stem from Confucian values. A focus group
study asked 44 people aged 65-86 about their opinions regarding their
quality of life (Leung, Wu, Lue, & Tang, 2004). More than 60% of those
interviewed live with their children – a considerably high percentage
compared to Western cultures. Marriage was also shown to benefit
health by increasing economic resources, promoting healthy behaviors,
and providing emotional and instrumental support. However, the death
of a spouse is the most stressful event in the elderly (Leung et al.,
2004). Living alone has been shown to be a disadvantage for mental
and physical health and subjective well-being. 80% of elderly living
alone claimed they would have chosen otherwise if they would have
had the option (Leung et al., 2004).
Health
The same study asked a series of questions regarding the general
happiness (Leung et al.,2004). Most of the elderly people were worried
about the consequences of physical illness, but were also concerned
with the availability and affordability of medical care. Quality care
seemed to be a basic need for the elderly in all focus groups. Basic
needs such as physical functions were shown to have priority over other
needs.
Retirement
A sample of people aged 60+ were questioned about their life after retirement. The 4,049 person sample
were young adults during WWII with a vivid memory of the war. Results suggested that life satisfaction
decreased after retirement and in the oldest old group. However, income decrease showed no effect on life
satisfaction (Chen, 2001). Cross comparison showed that the elderly’ s assessment of future life decreased
as age advanced (Chen, 2001). The level of social activities also had an effect on the elderly’ s level of life
satisfaction. The Disengagement Theory states that as people age they tend to retreat from society cutting
their ties with family and friends relationships. Studies showed that elderly have typically accepted their
retreat from work. Research showed that elderly have also accepted a disengagement status, but also to
the evolution of one’s inner equilibrium. Meaning that elderly are typically okay with retiring, losing friends,
death of loved ones, etc. Elderly have perceived some drastic social changes similar to other adults.
However, they are not affected by life domains reflecting drastic social changes, but rather the domain of
financial status (Chen, 2001). Chen found that the elderly are most likely not bothered by changes in their
social environment, but they are affected by changes in their financial status.
Other Influential Factors: Age, Education, and Cognition
Chen (2001) found that better educated, married, and more resourceful elderly tended to be more satisfied
with their lives. This could be a result of more opportunities available when one has a higher education.
In another survey that was part of a longitudinal study (N = 240 adults in wave 1 and N = 170 in wave 2),
results showed that the turning point of cognitive abilities tends to be at age 65 (Tang & Wang, 2009).
Therefore, basic mental processes tend to decline with old age. With that, one’s priorities change
accordingly.
Gerstorf. D., Ram, N., Goebel, J., Schupp, J., Lindenberg, U., & Wagner, G. (2010). Where people live and die makes a difference: Individual and geographic disparities in well-being progression at the end of life.
Psychology and Aging, 31, 1-16.
Gerstorf, D., Mayraz, G., Lindernberger, U., Ram, N., Hidajat, M., Wagner, G., & Schupp, J. (2004). Late life decline in well-being across adulthood in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States: Something is
seriously wrong at the end of life. Psychology and Aging, 25, 477-485.
Leung, K.-K., & Wu, E.-C., Lue, B.-H., & Tang, L.-Y. (2004). The use of focus groups in evaluating the quality of life components among the elderly. Quality of Life Research, 13, 179-190.
Pinquart, M. & Schindler, I. (2007). Changes in life satisfaction in the transition to retirement: A latent class approach. Psychology and Aging, 22, 442-455.
Schulz, M., Waldinger,R. "What's Love Got to Do With It? Social Functioning, Percieved Health, and Daily Happiness in Married
Octogenarians." Psychology and Aging 25.2 (2010): 422-431 Web 25 Jan. 2011
Tang, D., & Wang, D. (2009). Reason or result? Subjective well-being of the elderly in urban Beijing: A cross lagged regression panel analysis. Ageing International, 34, 189-202.
Westerhof, G. J., & Barrett, A. E. (2005). Age Identity and Subjective Well-Being: A Comparison of the United States and Germany. Journal of Gerontology , 60, 129-136.